Need Help with Bathroom Reno- please

[venno]

Hi all, looking for help with the following.

I am in the process of renovating a 15 yr old small bathroom (1800W x 2400L) in a medium size beachside villa (building is 98m2). It had a very small bath (couldn’t fit an adult) and a 900 x900 separate shower, I have removed the bath and will be gutting the remaining. At this point I am looking at 3 options (all of which, my plumber has told me, are going to cost so none are a cheaper option):<o></o><o>
</o>
Have no bath and have a long 1800 double bowl vanity and a 1200 x 1000 corner splay semi frameless shower<o></o>
Have no bath and put in a toilet and a small vanity plus the above shower<o></o>
Get a combo 1500 x 1500 corner spa/bath/shower and a 600 x 600 corner vanity<o></o><o></o> There was no toilet in the original bathroom as there is a separate toilet in the hallway just across from the bathroom door.<o></o>
<o></o>
I am trying to balance my personal tastes (younger and single) against what would be best from a resale perspective.

cheers
<o>
</o>

[juan]

Personally I am an old foggie when it comes to vanity units and find this preoccupation with double bowl vanities hard to fathom. I like to do my ablutions in peace without having someone at my elbow so hence it would be a nice single bowl wall hung vanity for me.

For me I would rather the toilet in the bathroom than a bath which will probably just collect dust most of the time.

So in conclusion I prefer your option 2

Good luck with the renovation.

Cheers

[zacnelson]

I'm with Juan on this one - I can't stand double vanities I don't think I've ever seen one that appealed to me aesthetically, it will cost double, and I don't think anyone ever uses both sinks at once! I also think baths can be over-rated and unnecessary. Is there a bath in another bathroom in the house though? If there is no bathroom in the house it may affect re-sale, especially people with young children would want to buy a house with a bath.

[venno]

Its the only bathroom in the house, the toilet is separate though. I think I might go with a decent single vanity, put in a full length mirror and the aforementioned shower, should make even my small bathroom look bigger.

[michelle2008]

I would go for:
Get a combo 1500 x 1500 corner spa/bath/shower and a 600 x 600 corner vanity<O></O>

I think a bath is a big selling point for lots of people - I was reading on another forum that many people wouldn't even consider renting a place without a bath. So that's a goof comprimise. Plus a spa would be lovely in a beachside villa :wink:

No need for a double vanity, either. They just take up extra space. And I can't see a reason to put the toilet in there. I prefer separate toilets! But that's just me :)

Michelle

[sports fan]

i reckon you should check out new modern units selling in your area, id be suprised if many had baths also real estate agents are good people to ask about what helps sell.. i would design the renovation around the existing plumbing configuration if possible to reduce plumbing costs as this will eat into your profit $$!!

[venno]

i reckon you should check out new modern units selling in your area, id be suprised if many had baths also real estate agents are good people to ask about what helps sell.. i would design the renovation around the existing plumbing configuration if possible to reduce plumbing costs as this will eat into your profit $$!!

Good call, have had a look thru some 4 sales and one across the road. The current trend in my area is for new luxury units that are 2 storey so they generally include a bath (corner ones seem to be popular) but these places are twice the size of mine. Of the older and comparable units that have been reno'd less than 40% have baths (my sample size is small, only 9), but large showers seem to be popular.

Maybe I will do a minimalistic bathroom with a small 900 semi-recessed one piece china top vanity with an unframed bevelled edge 900 mirror. I can then put a 1200 x 1200 semi frameless corner shower in the opposite diagonal corner. I have already replaced the 1970s style frosted window with a glass block one that lets in lots more light and provides a great feature.

[venno]

Forgot to mention I had a call from my tiler/plumber this morning to let me know he can move me up in his job queue. Thats nice, I thought, as he only appraised the job and took it on this week. He had previously told me 6 to 8 weeks which is about the standard for perth guess. He has moved me up to the coming monday :o

[juan]

That is a big sucker of a shower. My preference would be to sacrifice the larger shower (unless your into shower gymnastics) and add a toilet. I really wonder how many people shower with their friends but I do know I often get the urge to use the dunny when in the bathroom (must be all the running water). Can not imagine having to get dressed to go out of the bathroom to use the toilet.

Cheers

[madrat]

Forgot to mention I had a call from my tiler/plumber this morning to let me know he can move me up in his job queue. Thats nice, I thought, as he only appraised the job and took it on this week. He had previously told me 6 to 8 weeks which is about the standard for perth guess. He has moved me up to the coming monday :o

We have recently had quotes for different jobs and the Perth tradies seem to be pushing for 'almost immediate' starts.
The pressure is now on.... :D
Some have admitted to work really slowing down for them in the last couple of months.
:U
Had a quote for some bobcatting on Saturday, job was completed on Sunday!!! (and he was one that I would definitely recommend!!)

[jags]

hi venno
have a similar size bathroom and have been useing it for three week now and love it its 1660 by 2400 . the total cost which included installing all new pipe work for the new toilet was about $6000

i gutted it down to the bricks and dirt and did the layout as below

decina bath on the back wall 1650 by 820 by 500 deep . Get the 820 not a 750 a 750 is to small to shower in and dont get the one that have the raised area for the shower it is not needed $400

i used a permo two part frame less shower screen for reaces $660

them a hayman 750 vanity wall mounted at 900 in mushroom it has two good draws rather than 3 crap ones that are to shallow $800
nexted to the vanity i put the toilet which was a croma vencia VC Close couple $230

i uses porcilin mocha 300 x 300 tiles for the floor $36 m2 and 300 by 600 mat white tiles for the walls $23m2

$1500 for the tiler to install the bath wall and tile up to the ceiling but the quality was not that good ....see thread on perth tiler .

i payed $1000 for the plumber to install all the pipes and fitings for the new toilet
and $500 to plasterer to do the grey coat .

and $230 for the concrete for the new slab in the bathroom

tap ware was from phoenix was about $600

hope this is a help
rob

[madrat]

Hi Jags,
For a small bathroom, that's come up a treat.
When you say there was a 'quality' issue with the tiling, can you elaborate, as the picture actually looks quite good.:2tsup:

[juan]

Beautiful job Jags. I like the layout and think it would solve Vennos needs to a tee.

[zacnelson]

Hey jags, do you have any progress pictures, or before and after shots?

[jags]

thanks guys i am really happy about the way it came up .

we have decussed the tiler in another thread some of the wall and floor lines do not match and some of the floor tiles are a little raised i had to get them to redo about five tile they where so bad .

the one thing i would really suggest is the cut out in the wall over the bath this was where the old recessed mirror cuboard was on the double brick wall and i installed a lintel and three rows of bricks to make the hole smaller it is great as every thing is at easy reach and it ment that we could have a small vanity . also i installed the flick mixer for the bath in the middle of the bath so that you do not have to lean around the glass screen . And the bath tap is hinged so that it can fold flat against the wall when you shower .also i made the shower hight extra high 2m as i find that if the spout is higher the water is less likely to go every where and to date i have bearly got a drip on the floor tiles yet . i found that by having two rows of feature tiles one on each side of the spouts it was less likely to show up if some of the taps/mixers did not line up correctly .
i also used the small single light with two heatbulbs IXL for heat and light and extraction and it does the job well think it was about $160 from memory .at present am thinking of useing two stainless towel hooks on the back wall of the bath as i feel that a large towel rack will make the bathroom look small .
oh and after some debate in other threads i am so happy that i did not put the toilet next to the bath/shower as the toilet comes out past the vanity and in the small space this would not have looked good
Juin i know you have done this in your but yours is a lot longer and has the shower by the way congrat it looks amasing and all your hard work as paid off.

i have only just got the net connected after moving in three weeks ago so will have to update my other threads .i also have to get around to crunching the number for the hole reno but i am sure that all up including the new ceilng and cornice and electrical work it would still be under $7000 for the bathroom .

thanks again for the comments and all the help along the way .
Regards
Rob

[madrat]

Awesome makeover Jags!
Well done with the transformation:2tsup:

I only hope ours looks as good as yours and Juan's when we finish (start?).

[venno]

Well the majority of the reno is complete, I just have to wait 2 weeks for the shower screen.

I ended up keeping the vanity and shower in the same positions. The small bath tub has been replaced by a toilet. Plumber/tiler said it was actually the cheapest option as no major works were required (don't know what he means by major, he had to dig in a new waste under the slab for it).

There is a method to my madness as I now have a full stand alone bathroom suite (minus a tub). This now leaves me free to convert my hallway toilet (backs on to master bedroom) into an ensuite off the mbr without suffering any inconveniance.

I will post some pics tommorrow, before and after shots.

[venno]

The before shots.

[venno]

The after shots (still waiting on shower screen).

[madrat]

Hi Venno,
That's an amazing difference!!
Job well done:2tsup:

[juan]

Nice job Venno you have done well.

Cheers

[Pergo]

Hi, new to the forums and to DIY. Currently renovating my bathroom and have completely stripped it. Had old steel pipes under the bath and shower which was rusty and leaking. Can anyone recommend an honest plumber in Perth SOR??? Greatly appreciate any feedback.

[venno]

Thanks Juan and Madrat, just waiting on the shower screen now to finish it off.

[jags]

Hi Venno

Great job what a difference and so much more room . I was not fan of glass bricks untill i was what you have done , it really work well .

congrats .

P.S how did you get along with your kitchen bench tops .

Rob

[venno]

Hi Venno

Great job what a difference and so much more room . I was not fan of glass bricks untill i was what you have done , it really work well .

congrats .

P.S how did you get along with your kitchen bench tops .

Rob

Thanks Jags, I love the glass blocks, they have great thermal and noise insulation qualities.

The kitchen saga has now blown out into a full on reno. I am deciding between kitcraft and joyce. The benchtop is lookin like being from Granite Transformations as they are 2k cheaper than any other man made or real stone quotes I have had. I thought the mand made stuff was supposed to be cheap, but its more than asian granite!

[Kanga]

The "cheaper" granite could be porous and easily stained be carefully
Porous = lighter= cheaper to import= cheaper to sell

[In-too-deep]

We have just had our small Inglewood b/room stripped and seem to have hit sand (big holes in the concrete floor). Jags, since it looks like you had to fix up your slab as well, did you get someone in to do it for you or fix it up yourself? And how long before you could then get it waterproofed?

[jags]

hi in to deep
After the advice i was given i ended up doing a complete repour of the bathroom .i use the contrete taxi and them leveled it myself which was not prefect but the floor was going to be screeded anyway .
But in your case if the hole is not to big and not in an important spot them i would just patch it .many a photo might help .
I did not water proof the floor as there will be no water getting on it .i only did the walls around the bath and the cut out in the wall . i think it was done about a week after the rendering was done .
oh and if you have got any pipes in the floor i would get them move one thing i wished i had done. its a lot easier to fix if there in the roof not under 10cm of concrete
if i can be of any more help p.m me ...... i remember how much i stressed about each thing

[In-too-deep]

Stress doesn't even begin to describe it! I am reasonably clueless about renovation but have to admit this seemed reasonably simple: take out old tiles, put in new ones. The tip on concrete taxi is great, I just found their web page. I have a plumber coming (hopefully!) Monday so I will talk to him about moving the pipes and I have also followed your lead and called a plasterer for the walls rather than going the sheeting path.

My panic came when I called a few bathroom reno places to see if they would do the floor for me and was told 'you can't do a bathroom under $14G!'

[jags]

Hi in to deep
Any chance of some pics or what you are doing to the bathroom total gut or just a retile are you moving anything around . what plumber are you using and are you doing the tileing or useing a tiler ? hope it is not the same two guys i used .
Rob

[In-too-deep]

I will post an after pic this afternoon but here are the befores (the previous owners were still living there at the time). Marvel at the fantastic vanity!

It is a place we are doing up with the intention of renting for a while but having on hand in case my in-laws (who are getting a little older now) need somewhere near us. Because of that, we ripped out the magnificent 1960s decor and want to put in a shower that can be easily used (no high steps), a loo since the old one is in the sleep out and replacing the vanity.

We have spoken to Anchor Plumbing who think they can come next week. Since we want to get the job done quickly I am searching for tradies with positive testimonials on the web and only picking those who sound decent: the last thing I want is any unfortunate surprises!

I saw your bad experience with tilers - any other suggestions? Ideally if there was someone out there who could level the concrete, waterproof, screed, then tile I would be over the moon.

[venno]

And finally the shower screen has been fitted. Already put into service as well.

[venno]

My panic came when I called a few bathroom reno places to see if they would do the floor for me and was told 'you can't do a bathroom under $14G!'


My entire bathroom cost $8041. The labour component was $2200 for the plumber/tiler. He had to dig underneath the slab and run in a new pipe for the toilet waste, the toilet plumbing install alone took him 10hrs. All up he spent 5 days working on my bathroom, I did however gut it myself to save money.

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[madrat]

Hey Venno, good one with the price breakdown (even down to the toothbrush holder) :2tsup:

Hubby and I are going window shopping next month for our bathroom makeover and really appreciate you sharing your costs, as I had no idea what to expect:?.

Again, it looks great!